Known capacitors having a high capacitance ceramic dielectric layer and exhibiting a benign failure mode have a relatively thick base electrode that limits shapeability. Specifically, the base electrode is sufficiently thick to effectively prevent bending of the capacitor to form multiple layer capacitor structures. Such multiple layer structures and other shaped arrangements may be desired to conform the shape of the capacitor to available space of a device and/or to provide a more compact capacitor structure.
Known capacitors exhibiting a benign failure mode are prepared by polishing a metal foil electrode (typically nickel or copper foil) to a surface roughness of 3 to 5 nanometers (root mean square roughness over a one micrometer square area). Polishing is needed because the metal foils used for preparing capacitors having a high capacitance ceramic dielectric layer and exhibiting a benign failure mode cannot be manufactured without a sufficiently smooth surface. The smoother the finish the thinner the dielectric. The thinner the dielectric layer the higher the capacitance value. This surface is needed to form a uniformly thin dielectric layer between electrode layers. However, in order to facilitate handling of the foil in a polishing operation, the foil must be of a thickness that renders the completed capacitor incapable of being shaped or bent without becoming damaged. Thus, there has not been any method of providing a highly shapeable or bendable capacitor having a high capacitance ceramic dielectric layer and exhibiting a benign failure mode.